Cleaner



H. E. HOOVER. CLEANER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 2. I916. 1,329,048.

Patented Jan. 27, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

W J W Win 65,665. A 1J 12222672 for.

H. E. HOOVER. CLEANER. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 2, 1916. 1 ,329,Q48, Patented Jan. 27, 1920.

' 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2h Fwy-ml 1 I JZTIQTZ 1700-062 MLOUZ/K W g UNITED STATES PATENT oEEIoE.

HOWARD EARL HOOVER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR T0 HOOVER SUCTION SWEEPER COMPANY, OF NEW BERLIN,

OHIO, A. CORPORATION OF OHIO.

CLEANER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 2'7, 1920.

Application filed June 2, 1916. Serial No. 101,235.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HOWARD EARL I-IoovER, a citizen of, the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Cleaners, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to handle supporting fi devices such'as may be used in connection with suction sweepers and the like. It has for one object to provide a new and improved form of handle control whereby the suction sweeper or the like may be moved or manipulated and carried with the minimum of difliculty by the operator. Another object is to provide means for limiting or controlling the movement of the handle with respect to the case. Another object ofmy device is to provide stopping means for rigidl controlling the position of the han dle. ther objects of my invention will appear from time to time in the specification.

My invention is illustrated more or less.

diagrammatically in the accompanying drawings wherein- Figure 1 is a side view of a suction sweeper showing my handle in position;

Fig. 2 is a detailed section on an enlarged scale along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a detail of the spring clip on the handle; Y

Fig. 4 a detail on an enlarged scale of a side elevation showing my handle supporting and holding device;

Fig. 5 is a modified form shown in side elevation as applied to a suction cleaner.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged side elevation of my hook device.

Like parts are indicated by like characters in all of the figures. Y

A is a suction cleaner. rollers A, has a moto 'housin A a fan housing A and a bag A". A is a suction hood. The operation of the cleaner is well known and the rotation of the motor drives the fan whichsucks air and dirt in through the hood, through the fan, and discharges it into the bag.

B is a cleaner handle. It sup rts, jecent its npper end, a spring g w It is mounted on dd hich' .with a suitable source of electric power and passes down to a suitable switch on the motor housing whereby it may be controlled. The handle stopping device of all the ures except Fig. 6 is one form I have used ich has advantages, although it is more complicated than the device shown in Fi 6. C is aclip on one end of the handle bail on the arm C and secured by the screw C The clip is provided with an upwardly bent lug C and a perforation C. C is a stop on the side wall of the fan housing. One side C of the stop is at right angles to the plane of the spring clip, the other side 7 is curved as indicated in Fig. 2. A movement of the handle bail in one direction will cause the clip to ride up over the side and the bag. B B are clips in the other will cause the stop to engage the aperture in the clip and thus brin handle to rest. In the modification an the simplest and perhaps preferred form of this device I have substituted for the stop C a screw C and for the lug C and its perforated end the hook C The engagement of the hook and stop will arrest movement of the handle in one direction but permit it to move in the other.

D is a stop lug projecting downwardly from the central rear portion of the handle bail. It is adapted to engage a stop bar D This stop bar is pivoted on lugs D is curved as shown substantially concentric with the path of the stop lug D as the handle bail rotates and is provided with a reoess or depressed portion D terminating in hooks D" D adapted to engage one or the other side of the stop D as the case may be. D is a spring adapted to engage the under side of the stop bar D and provided with a hook end I) to overhang a lug I? on the under side of the bar. When the bar is pressed into the position shown in full lines on. Fi 1, this hook engages the upper side of thls lug, and holds the bar do? If the bar is lifted up until the spri dis engages from its hooking position with spect to the lug, the spring will then engage the end of the lug and tend to hold the bar yieldingly out so that it will come into engagement with the stop member I), and under ordinary circumstances the stop lug D will slide upon the upper surface of the depression D being limited in its movement by contact with the hooks D D When the operator wishes to move' the handle into the position shown in dotted lines on Fig. 1, he depresses the bar against the spring to permit the lug D to pass over the hook D with out engaging it. He may Or may not cause the. parts to assume the position shown in full. lines in Fig. l, but in any event this would permit him to drop the handle and handle bail down into the prone position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1.

It will be evident that while I have shown in my drawings an operativ device, still many changes might be made both in size, shape and 'arrangement of parts without departing materially from the spirit of my invention, and I wish therefore that my drawings be regarded as in a sense diagrammatic.

In the modified form as shown the handle bail l) is pivoted on one arm thereof at a point intermediate the handle and the end of the bail with a curved stop bar E. This curved stop bar E has a recessed lower side as atE the recess being bounded by the hooks E E This recessed portion is adapted to-ride or slide along the-lug or stop E projecting outwardly from the flange E as indicated. This bar is held in engagement with the stop by gravity. When the operator wishes to free it, all he has to do is to lift it up against gravity. When,it is out of engagement with the stop E its downward rotational movement is limited by a stop E on the handle bail, the relation of the parts is such that with the curved bar resting upon the stop, it is at a point such that as the handle rotates in a clockwise direction, the curved tip on the end of the stop bar will ride over the stop E and bring the parts into the operative position as shown in Fig. ,5.

In the form of my device shown in detail and enlarged in Fig. 6 I weight of gravity to hold the handle in the upright position. It will be observed that it is in the upright 'position when the parts are in the position shown in full lines. The bail D extends to the left, and the weight of the handle is all applied along a line at the left of the center of rotation of the handle bail. The hook C which is concentric with the center of rotation of the bail is anchored by means of the tail C. It has a curved hook ortion adapted to engage the stop C", which stop takes the form of a stud screw-threaded into the wall of the vacuum cleaner casing. When it is desired to put the device into operation, the parts are rorely upon the eas es tated into the position shown in dotted lines, and the machine is operated or manipulated by the handle in the usual manner. When it is to be stored, the parts are rotated into the position shown in full lines and gravity holds the handle in the position with the hook bearing against the stop and nothing further is required.

The useand operation of my invention are as follows:

The handle is pivoted to the case and adapted to move downwardly to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4: where it rests upon a projection on the case. In this position the device'is adapted to be by the handle so that it can pass under low 0 jects such as beds and pieces of furniture.

The handle may also be tilted in the opposite direction as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1 and finally in the full lines of Fig. 1. In this position it is held by the engagement of the pin with the screw and this is the position for storage or the out-of-use position. Intermediate these two positions it is desirable to have means whereby when desired the handle can be locked or connected with the case so that the case may be tilted by means of the handle and this is effected by the double, stop structure, which when in active position as shown in Fig. 4 stops the handl from movement in either direction as desired and at some point intermediate the two extreme positions first above referred to. By pushing down on the handle when it is in the position shown in full lines in Fig. 4: the front end of the sweeper may be lifted to permit it to be pushed forward over objects which otherwise might interfere with its action or for the purpose of going easily over any obstruction which the machine might encounter.

When the handle is brought to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4 and then pressure applied to lift up on the handle the rear end of the machine is raised for the purpose of facilitating the movement of the machine .over the floor.

By these devices therefore we have means whereby the handle is brought to rest in its lowest position and also in its upright position and means whereby when desired it can be restricted to a limited movement intermediat these two positions and when at the ends of such limited movement in either direction the handle if still further pressed will tend to tilt the machine in the desired direction. The ordinary movement of the handle while the machine is in ordinary use is approximately between the two last named stops so that normally the intermediate stop device would be in operative position. The intermediate stop serves the further purpose of thus holding the handle at approximately the working position when it is momentarily released for the manipulation of furniture r manipulated or other purposes. In. the two forms of the intermedlate stop device the result is of course substantially the same. Broadly speaking, the pivoted arm is in one case attached to the sweeper proper and in the other to the handle.

I claim:

1. The combination with a handle bail and a case to which it is pivoted of a movable handle stop comprising a movable member adapted when in one position to confine the pivotal movement of the handle between predetermined limits and when in another position to leave the handle free to swing on its pivot and means for holding such stop in either of said positions.

2. The combination with a handle bail and a case to which it is pivoted of a movable handle stop comprising a movable member adapted when in one position to confine the pivotal movement of the-handle between predetermined limits and when in another position to leave the handle free to swing on its pivot and yielding means for holding such stop in either of said. positions.

3. The combination with a handle bail and a case to which it is pivoted of an adjustable stop member provided with two stops pivotally secured to the case and adapted to engage the handle and means for holding such stop member in or out of engagement with the handle.

4. The combination with a handle bail and a case to which it is pivoted an adjustable stop member provided with two stops pivotally secured to the case and adapted to engage the handle and means for yieldingly holding such stop member in or out of engagement with the handle.

5. The combination with a handle bail and a case to which it is pivoted of a proj ection on "the bail, a stop member provided with two stops and adapted to engage such projection, said stop member pivoted to the case and means ior'holding it in or out of engagement with the handle.

6. The combination with a handle bail and a case to which it is pivoted of a projection on the bail, a stop member provided with two stops and adapted to engage such pro ection, said stop member pivoted to the case and means ior yieldingly W 2 u no. one

holding it in or out of engagement handle.

and a case to whichit is pivoted jection on the bail, an arc-shaped provided with two stops and t engage such projection, said stop member pivoted to the case means i in or out of engagement with 5 The combination with and case to which it is pif'" iandle bail J1 1 or a pro jection on the bail, an arc-shaped stop mem- 5 her provided with two stops and adapted to engage such projection, said stop member pivoted to the case, and yielding means for holding it out of engagement with the projection and for thrusting it into engagement with the projection.

9. The combination with a handle bail and a case to which it is pr'oted of a projection on the central portion oi the bail, an arcuate stop member adjacent the path of such projection, yielding means for holding such member in position, said member being pivoted adjacent such means, a stop hook on said member adapted to engage the projection on the handle bail.

10. The combination with a handle bail and a case to which it is pivoted of a pivoted arcuate stop member, and yielding means for holding such stop n ember in or out of the path of the handle bail.

11. The combination with a handle bail and a case to which it is pivoted of a pivoted arcuate stop member, and yielding means for holding such stop member in and out of the path of the handle bail, such yielding means comprising a spring heel-1, a lug on the stop member adapted to engage the hook either at its end to hold the stop member in the operative position or on its side to hold the stop member in the inoperative position.

12. The combination with a handle bail and a case to which it is pivoted of an arcuate pivoted spring held stop member, the upper bail engaging portion oi such member being recessed, the bot n of the recess being substantially concentiic with the path of the bail. such rec s terminating in hooks oppositel dispose l adapt ed to opposes sid s or the handle 1 bail.

The combination wi and a case to which it arcuate pivoted spring the 5.131361 bail en member oeing recessed, ti cess beiu snbstantiallv on path of hooks positel -J nosed sides o on the lug and yielding means for holding such member into engagement with the lug.

15. The combination with a handle bail and a ease-to which it is pivoted of a stop on one and a curved bar with motion limiting means pivoted on the other in engagement with the stop, one side of said stop her being provided with a recessed portion adapted to engage the stop, said recessed portion terminating at either end in stop en- 10 gaging hooks.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature, in the presence of two witnesses, this 26th day of May, 1916.

' H. EARL HOOVER.

Witnesses:

MINNIE M. LINDENAU, ELLA THEME. 

